most next gen leaders feel this… but rarely say it out loud.

Most next-gen leaders feel this… but rarely say it out loud.

“They don't take me seriously.”
“Will they ever see me as Lead Team material?”
“I wish they saw me as more than the 'fun' one.”

You value what they bring.
You like having them around.

But when it comes to the real leadership conversations?

They’re not in the room.

Maybe without realizing it, you’ve put them in a box.

A box labeled: fun… high energy.

You subconsciously think,
“This is their gifting. I’ll use them when things fit into these categories.”

And if we’re being really honest…

maybe there’s even a lid on that box that says,

“I didn’t get these opportunities this young. They need to serve their time.”

They’re trusted to build culture…
to create top-notch, engaging environments that draw in even the busiest and most distracted young people — and the adults who drop them off.

But for some reason, they’re often left out of the conversations when it comes to the overall strategy of the church.

But let’s be clear about something.

Next-gen leaders aren’t just hanging out with kids and students.

They are shepherding a massive network of adults in your church – parents and volunteers who follow their leadership every week.

They’re constantly refining messaging for a generation that demands clarity, relevance, and engagement.

They build teams.
They cast vision.
They adapt strategy in real time.

In other words…

Well…This might be an unpopular opinion in some circles… but it needs to be said, okay friends?

I’ll give you a one line warning to take a deep breath because this might be a hard one to swallow.

Okay let’s just say it.

Next-gen leaders aren’t just overseeing a department.

They’re often leading a church within a church.

They oversee multiple ministries at once: production, worship, guest services on steroids (hello check-in systems), small groups, events, volunteer teams, and more.

Week after week they’re casting vision, building teams, and shepherding people.

Kids and Student Pastors are overseeing multiple departments and their roles look unlike most of your other Director level roles.

So, maybe it’s time to take them out of the box and invite them to the table?

They understand the people you’re trying to reach.
They see cultural shifts in real time.

They’re not asking, “How have we always done this?”
They’re asking, “How do we reach people right now?”

And in many churches, the leaders who understand the future the best are still waiting for their voice and ideas to be heard.

If we want a thriving church for generations to come, we can’t just empower next-gen leaders to execute Kids and Student Ministry services.

We need their voice, their perspective, and their ingenuity helping shape the strategy of the church as a whole.